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Opinion: Vaccines and boosters are still best protection against COVID-19 and the flu

A Caltrans sign on U.S. 101 in the San Francisco Bay Area urged motorists to "get your booster."
(Wendy Lee / Los Angeles Times)

Getting boosted with the updated bivalent vaccine makes good sense, just as getting an annual flu shot does.

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Ghaly, M.D., M.P.H., is secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency, and lives in Los Angeles.

I’ve done a lot of listening about COVID-19 and about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Many friends have told me they just weren’t ready to vaccinate their kids. Others figure they or their children are protected because they’ve had at least one vaccine dose or already had the virus.

With flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) at unusually high levels and a surge in COVID-19 cases expected soon, the health care system is being tested.

Dec. 8, 2022

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I get it. While many have chosen to be vaccinated, a reasonable person may feel like the vaccine or booster still isn’t right for them, or their kids. Others may oppose vaccines in general. I’d encourage you to ask your health care provider any questions you may have about the vaccine. If you’re on the fence, take the time you need to get answers from the experts and make an informed decision.

Flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) levels have been higher than usual this fall, especially among children, with influenza-associated hospitalization rates the highest they’ve been for this point in the season in 10 years. We also expect COVID-19 cases will surge this winter, just as they have in the past when temperatures drop and people spend more time indoors.

California’s been on the front line of the pandemic, and we’ve seen real-world data about the experiences of millions of adults and kids who have been vaccinated. It overwhelmingly shows vaccines are safe and effective at preventing the worst outcomes of the disease, including hospitalization and death. And because our immunity wanes over time, we’ve seen that boosters are important in continuing to prevent infection and serious illness.

We can do better at increasing vaccination rates, with good reason. An analysis released by the Commonwealth Fund and Yale School of Public Health found that if 80 percent of eligible individuals received their COVID boosters in the U.S., we could prevent about 90,000 deaths and more than 936,000 hospitalizations and save nearly $56 billion in medical costs.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that the current bivalent boosters trigger a stronger immune response, resulting in higher levels of antibodies to fight off infection. This data should increase confidence in vaccines and boosters as important tools in sustaining protection against COVID-19.

Without this protection, COVID-19 infection increases the chances of severe illness, hospitalization and death, including among our children. Even when children get mild infections, research has demonstrated that they can suffer from lingering symptoms of COVID-19 like fatigue, and are at higher risk for other illnesses, including multi-inflammatory syndrome in children or MIS-C.

We’ve also seen more kids than initially expected experience severe disease and need hospital and intensive care unit level care. There is also growing evidence that COVID-19 can cause harm throughout the body, including the brain and heart. Individuals are reporting brain fog, memory loss, migraines and even strokes, weeks to months after their initial infection. Others have suffered an increase in cardiovascular conditions such as arrhythmias, myocarditis and blood clots that affect the heart and lungs, the CDC reported in May.

Getting boosted with the updated bivalent vaccine makes good sense, just as getting an annual flu shot does. It’s why I’m vaccinated and will maintain my own kids’ immunity with recommended boosters. And its great news the bivalent vaccine has been authorized for infants and toddlers 6 months of age and older. Talk to a doctor or your local clinic to ensure your child is up to date on their vaccine series and best protected before the season’s celebrations. In my household, we aren’t taking COVID-19 nor the flu lightly.

The holiday season is an excellent time for the whole family to get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccine and to receive a flu vaccine. If you’re planning to travel or gather with loved ones over the holidays, get tested for COVID-19 ahead of time. If you test positive, contact your health care provider and ask about treatments that can reduce the risk of serious illness. If you don’t have a doctor, seek a test-to-treat site, where you can get a prescription for treatment on the spot, if eligible.

Californians can protect themselves and others from any respiratory illness by staying home when sick, washing hands frequently, covering their coughs, avoiding close contact with sick people and wearing a mask in indoor public spaces. If you decide to wear a mask, great! To get the most out of your mask, pick one with good fit and filtration. The rule-of-thumb is surgical masks are good, KN95 or KN94 masks are better, and N95 are best.

COVID-19 fatigue is real; I feel it too. But in this moment, we must keep using the tools that protect us. We’ve seen winter hit us hard year after year, and with high rates of RSV and the flu, it appears this winter will be no different. The urgency isn’t over. We can’t let up.

Talk to your doctor, go to MyTurn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to find a vaccine or booster near you.

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